The Pros of Instrument Rental While Learning Music
If you join a school band or orchestra or just want to take up a new hobby, you will undoubtedly need a musical instrument to practice! When you or your child is ready to pick up a musical instrument, you have two options: buy or rent. Each choice has a number of benefits, but let’s talk about the instrument rental benefits.
Instrument Rental Cost
To begin, renting instruments may save you money, which is exactly what every aspiring musician or parent wants to hear. If you’re new to an instrument, you may be hesitant to run out and spend a lot of money on purchasing one. Even gently used instruments may be rather costly, and often people can struggle to come up with the funds.
Renting an instrument enables someone to determine if they want to dedicate the time and effort necessary to learn to play an instrument. If you’re already experienced, you may feel safe purchasing something that will help further your musical career. However, for individuals picking up a guitar for the first time and taking lessons (or teaching themselves), renting may be the ideal choice to decide if the instrument is a good fit.
Flexibility
If you’re new to playing an instrument, you could believe that the instrument you choose is perfect for you. You may purchase one, take a few lessons, and soon find it is not what you thought it would be. Or maybe you’re an accomplished musician who wants to expand your horizons with other instruments. You may be reluctant to purchase anything else, which is very understandable. Rather than that, why not try renting a few different instruments and seeing what sticks?
Instrument rental enables you to determine which is right for you. Consider a saxophone, a trumpet, or even a drum set if space permits. Instrument rental allows you to experiment before settling on one choice. Instrument rental also allows for the flexibility to change the size of instruments as a child grows which can save parents a lot of money in the early years.
Maintenance and Repairs
Renting a musical instrument alleviates worries about maintenance and repair. Orchestra and band instruments need regular maintenance and repair, so having a rental package that covers maintenance as well as knowledgeable personnel on hand to resolve difficulties and answer questions is an additional benefit. When renting, most suppliers provide maintenance and repair services that involve maintaining the instrument so that it stays in good playing condition. Often it is a required part of the rental agreement to ensure the instrument is properly taken care of before it is returned.
Storage
While storing a guitar, a trumpet, or a keyboard is reasonable, once the instruments begin to accumulate, things may rapidly spiral out of control, and your home becomes overrun with musical equipment. Rather than purchasing everything, renting instruments can be an excellent solution for those who love to explore a variety of instruments. If you lack room, renting instruments is an excellent approach to reduce clutter.
Special Occasions
If you just require the instrument for a limited period of time, such as for a performance or a special event such as a wedding or private party, renting may make more sense. If you do not intend to keep an instrument for an extended period of time, you may always rent it at a considerably lesser cost than purchasing it new.
Student Models Vs. Professional Models
Typically, new students rent or buy a used or student instrument via their school or a local retail shop. Eventually, it will be necessary to change that instrument to an intermediate, or professional model as you gain more skill. That is where instrument rental is beneficial. It can save you money as a musician or parent and not have unwanted instruments lying around that are not being used.
While student model instruments sound good and are excellent for those who are just beginning, they may have some limitations in the sound or mechanisms that professional model instruments don’t. You’ll want a better-sounding instrument after you’ve mastered the basics and are studying more challenging compositions. Many expert musicians think that starting with a student model instrument is best and then when you are ready, you can update your instrument.
Instrument Rental At CIOMIT
The Colorado Institute of Musical Instrument Technology rents and sells school band and orchestra instruments to students in the Denver area. Whether you’re unsure if your student will continue with the instrument you’ve chosen or if you know they’ll want to transition to a larger or more advanced instrument as they grow, instrument rental is a great choice! Visit our website to learn more about our instrument rental and repair services!